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The 2024 Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Taupō, New Zealand, delivered incredible – and very different – performances across both the men’s and women’s professional fields. While success on the global stage demands excellence across swimming, biking, and running, the bike leg is increasingly decisive for podium hopefuls. This year’s race proved the rule, as the top bike splits showcased riders on machines with incredible power, precision, and cutting-edge technology.
For the women, American Taylor Knibb secured her third consecutive world title with a bike split over four minutes faster than anyone else in the field. On the men’s side, local favorite Hayden Wilde (NZL) dazzled with the fastest bike split of the day but narrowly missed the top spot on the podium as he faded slightly in the final miles of the run. Across the board, the fastest bike splits demonstrated not only athletic prowess but also the technical aptitude to select the right gear to maximize performance given the terrain and conditions. The trend of 1x drivetrains continues to dominate the men’s field with an increasing number of top female cyclists also choosing to “go 1x.”
Let’s take a closer look at the bikes and gear that propelled the fastest cyclists at the 2024 Ironman 70.3 World Championships.
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Section dividerThe fastest bikes at the 2024 70.3 World Championships: Pro women
#1 Bike Split (2:10:09) – Taylor Knibb (USA), 1st overall
Trek Speed Concept SLR 9
Taylor Knibb continued her reign as the undisputed queen of the 70.3 World Championships, securing her third consecutive victory. Knibb’s crushing bike split, more than four minutes faster than the next-fastest split, came aboard a Trek Speed Concept SLR 9. Her setup included a SRAM Red AXS 2x drivetrain, a Bontrager Aeolus 62mm front wheel, and a Bontrager rear wheel with a custom carbon fiber disc cover.
#2 Bike Split (2:14:34) – Imogen Simmonds (CHE), 4th overall
Canyon Speedmax CF 8
For the second year in a row, Imogen Simmonds posted the second-fastest bike split. Riding a Canyon Speedmax CF 8, she relied on a custom Shimano Dura Ace Di2 12-speed 1x drivetrain, a DT Swiss Arc 1100 Disc rear wheel, and a 62mm front wheel to finish fourth overall.
#3 Bike Split (2:14:41) – Kat Matthews (GBR), 2nd overall
Canyon Speedmax CF 8
In a repeat of 2023, Kat Matthews finished with the third-fastest bike split, securing a second-place finish overall. Matthews rode a Canyon Speedmax CF 8, equipped with the same DT Swiss Arc 1100 wheelset as Simmonds, but with an 80mm front – and 28mm tires at 77psi. This year, she used a Shimano Dura Ace Di2 12-speed 1x drivetrain with a 58T chainring and 11-34t cassette, as opposed to a 56T chainring on a 1x setup in 2023.
#4 Bike Split (2:16:05) – Laura Madsen (DEN), 12th overall
BMC Speedmachine 01
Laura Madsen, a rising star in long-course triathlon, showcased her biking talent with the fourth-fastest split. Riding a BMC Speedmachine 01, Madsen paired a DT Swiss 62mm front wheel with a Dicut Arc 1100 rear disc and powered her ride with a SRAM Red 2x drivetrain.
#5 Bike Split (2:16:10) – Lisa Becharas (USA), 23rd overall
Orbea Ordu
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Lisa Becharas rounded out the top five bike splits on her Orbea Ordu, equipped with Enve SES 6.7 60mm front wheels, an Enve SES Disc rear wheel, and a Shimano 2x drivetrain.
Section dividerThe fastest bikes at the 2024 70.3 World Championships: Pro men
#1 Bike Split (1:58:51) – Hayden Wilde (NZL), 2nd overall
Canyon Speedmax CF 8
Hayden Wilde thrilled the home crowd with the fastest men’s bike split of the day aboard his Canyon Speedmax CF 8, equipped with a SRAM Red 1x drivetrain, a Zipp NSW 858 front wheel, and a Zipp Super 9 rear disc. Despite his stellar performance on the bike, Wilde ultimately finished second overall.
#2 Bike Split (1:59:02) – Rico Bogen (GER), 7th overall
KU Cycle TF1
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Defending champion Rico Bogen pushed hard on the bike leg aboard his KU Cycle TF1, which featured a SRAM Red 1x drivetrain. He posted the second-fastest bike split but faded on the run, finishing seventh overall. He used an Evolve Aero TroikaMax+ Trispoke front wheel and KU Disc rear wheel.
#3 Bike Split (1:59:07) – Justus Nieschlag (GER), 5th overall
Cervelo P5
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Justus Nieschlag kept the German dominance on the bike course alive with the third-fastest split of the day. Riding a Cervelo P5, Nischlag opted for a Shimano Dura Ace Di2 1x drivetrain and a Reserve 77 Disc Turbulent Aero wheelset (77mm front and full rear disc).
#4 Bike Split (1:59:08) – Jelle Geens (BEL), 1st overall
Ridley Dean Fast Disc
Jelle Geens executed a balanced race strategy, pairing his fourth-fastest bike split with the fastest run of the day to secure a commanding victory. Geens rode a Ridley Dean Fast Disc, featuring Princeton CarbonWorks 7580 Mach TSV Trispoke wheels, a Blur 633 V3 rear disc, and a SRAM Red 1x drivetrain.
#5 Bike Split (1:59:09) Kyle Smith (NZL), 4th overall
Canyon Speedmax CF 8
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Kyle Smith leveraged local knowledge of the Taupō course to deliver the fifth-fastest bike split aboard a Canyon Speedmax CF 8, fitted with Parcours Chrono Max (83mm) front wheels and a Parcours Disc rear wheel, powered by a SRAM Red 1x drivetrain.